Sheugnet Buys

Sheugnet Buys (1935-) is an Afrikaans novelist and playwright.

Biography

Born on 1 September 1935 in the town of Kestell in the Orange Free State and continued her schooling in Bloemfontein. Leaving school at the end of standard eight, she worked as a nurse for a while, later settled on the Natal South Coast with her husband and two children.

Having taken a writing course she began a career as author, producing numerous radio dramas and short stories for children, and a number of short stories and serials in magazines (some under a pseudonym). These include Onrus op Excelsior (1973, peud. "Tessa"), Hitler sterf in die Vrystaat (1982), Dis koud in die somer ook (1995), Die totempaal and Tim-Tam se Afrika-avontuur (2008).

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Stage work

She was a member of Wena Naudé's theatre company for about three years, and would go on to write more than twenty full-length plays for the stage. These include the Afrikaans plays Seepsopsonnet (1990, a finalist for the Amstel Playwright of the Year award in 1990) and an adaptation of her novel Die Totempaal (a finalist for the Amstel Playwright of the Year award in 1991).

She also wrote some plays in English, including The Dognappers (the first play written especially for blind performers), Semi-detached and Gutter Flowers Need Love (Winner of an Amstel Special Merit Award in 1983).

Her plays were usually performed in Natal and at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

Radio work

She also wrote a few plays for radio, including Volg die Gids (winner of the beginners-category of Radiosondergrense and Sanlam Radio drama competition in 1999 (broadcast 18 April 2000) and in 2001 Te jonk om pa te wees won the established writers' section of the same competition (broadcast in 2002).